Chapter 13
The abandoned house stood in eerie silence, as though it had chosen solitude, as if having people around was an unnecessary luxury.
Before the varnish was applied, the floor had once been a highly polished parquet, with individual blocks carefully placed and sanded to a smooth finish. The window frames were sturdy, the walls were rock solid, and the glass was unbroken and triple-glazed. In general, the area had the appearance of a set waiting for life to happen.
But the smell gave it away, and the dust. Mostly, the smell. Musty and dry, like a place sealed up for too long, untouched by fresh air.
Inside the house, four burly men stood guard, their eyes sharp, masked to hide their identities. In front of them sat Hannah and Louis, tied to chairs with their hands bound behind them, facing each other. Both looked pale and weak, unconscious.
Louis stirred first. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open, trying to make sense of his surroundings. His gaze fell on Hannah, tied up just like him.
"Hannah! Hannah, wake up!" Louis shouted, his voice hoarse, stamping his feet hard on the floor.
Hannah groaned and slowly opened her eyes. "W-What?" she stammered, confused. When her eyes locked on Louis, her panic flared. "Louis! What is this? Where are we? What’s happening?!"
"Calm down, Hannah," Louis urged.
"Calm down? How can I calm down? We’re tied up!" Hannah’s voice rose, her fear taking over. "What is going on?!"
"I don’t know, okay? Just breathe." Louis kept his voice steady, trying to keep her from spiraling.
"Don’t tell me to breathe!" she snapped. "This is serious! How did we end up here?"